Well dare and samuel w



(ModeL) W. H. DARE.

HANDLIN DOUBLE STAYSAIL SHEETS. No. 460,466. Patented Sept. 29,- 1891.

WWweav v Mead? A am' ff NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM HENRY DARE, OF WHITESTONE, NElV YORK, ASSIGNORTO STOCK- XV ELL DARE AND SAMUEL WV. BOlVER, OF SAME PLACE.

HANDLING DOUBLE STAY-SAIL SHEETS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 460,466, dated September 29,1891.

Application filed J annary 5, 1891. Serial No. 376,814:- (ModeL) To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM HENRY DARE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of \Vhitestone, in the county of Queens and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Mode of Handling Double Stay-Sail Sheets, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which like letters refer to like parts.

The object of my invention is by means of an arrangement of bulls-eyes and trice-lines to trice or lift up the bights of the stay-sail sheets, so that they will not foul with the gaff and peak of the lower sail while the vessel is tacking or wearing and while the stay-sail is not in use, and yet readily to permit the staysail sheets to belowered to their proper drawing position when the stay-sail is in actual use.

Figure l in the drawings represents a general view of the masts, sails, and rigging of a fore-and-after vessel with the device in posi tion. The deck and lower part of the masts, rigging, and sails of the vessel are not shown. Fig. 2 in the drawings represents a view of the top-mast and mast-head and upper rigging, with the device in position from a point in front of the mast.

I will describe the device as applied to one side of the vessel only, the port side, (the device being constructed and applied to the other or starboard side in precisely the same manner.)

A and B are the masts.

O and D are the top-mast shrouds; E, the cross-tree of the mast B.

F is the peak of the lower sail, and Grits gaif on the mast A.

H is the stay, and I the stay-sail.

J is the port, and K the starboard stay-sail sheets.

L is the spring-stay between the two masts A and B.

Q is the top-mast.

M is my port tricing-line' coming from the deck to and through the stationary bulls-eye N, (fastened by its strap to the port top-mast shroud at about 0,) said tricing-line leading from said bulls -eye Nto another bullseye P, to which it is made fast, this second bullseye P encircling loosely the bight of the port stay-sail sheet and allowing the said sheet to play freely through its said bulls-eye.

The construction of the device is as follows: A bulls-eye P, through which the bight of the port stay-sail sheet J has been passed and wherein it plays freely being fastened to the upper end of the tricing-line M. It (the line) is then reeved or passed through the stationary bulls-eye n, (fastened by its strap to the port top-mast shroud at 0,) and said tricingline M then leading to the deck, where it can be made fast. The construction on'the other side of the vessel is precisely similar.

K is the starboard stay-sail sheet, R the trice-line, S the stationary bulls-eye, and T the bulls-eye at the end of the tricing-line.

The operation is as follows: A sailor on the deck can by hauling on the tricing-line M trice or lift up the bight of the stay-sail sheet J clear of the peak F and gaff G of the lower sail and then make it fast, if the stay sail is not in use, or if it is in use and the sheet is not then in use; but if the staysail sheet J is then'to be used the tricing -line may be slackened downagain and the stay-sail sheet hauled home to its proper drawing position. This maneuver can be repeated on the other side of the vessel when she wears or tacks to the other tack, the stay-sail sheet being first slackened so it can be triced up. If, 110wever, the stay-sail is not in use, then both stay-sail sheets may be triced up by these tricing-lines aforesaid and then fastened. Thus, by means of the above-described device, the stay-sail can be used on either tack without shifting the sheet and without sending a man aloft to overhaul or clear the stay-sails sheets from fouling the peak and gaff of the lower sail, as in the old way, and when the stay-sail is not in use both trice-lines arehauled taut, tricing or lifting up the bight of the stay-sail sheets above the spring stay and thereby avoid fouling the gaff and peak of the lower sail. A grummet or block or the equivalent of the bulls-eye may be used, if desired.

Under the old way without my device, every time the vessel goes about or wears while the stay-sail is set the stay-sail sheets have to be slackened very much and flap and fly around and almost always foul with the peak and gaif of the lower sail, and when the stay-sail is furled these stay-sail sheets have to be taken forward and made fast out of the Way of the lower sail to prevent fouling, and very frequently it is necessary for a man to go aloft to overhaul the sheets when these have fouled with the lower sail and its upper rigging.

With my device the stay-sail sheets can be easily, safely, and quickly handled from the deck in any weather, and fouling entirely prevented both while the sail is in use and not in use and While the vessel is tacking or wearing.

I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent As a means of handling double-stay-sail sheets on vessels, the combination of the trioing-line M, located as described, coming from the deck to and through the stationary bullseye N, or its equivalent, with said bulls eye N, fastened by its strap to the port top-mast shroud at O and provided with the other bulls-eye P, or its equivalent, fastened to the end of the tricing-line M, through which last bulls-eye P the bight or middle of the port stay-sail sheet J passes and plays freely, all located as described.

Signed at New York, in the con nty of New York and State of New York, this 31st day of December, A. D. 1890.

YVILLIAM HENRY DARE. 

